I wonder where Amelia is. Fran isn’t around either. I get up and wander across to the door which leads towards the dining area. Inside my nostrils are assaulted by the smoky smell. How on earth is Amelia going to get rid of that? She’ll have to completely re-decorate, new furnishings and everything. Heading towards the kitchen I pause as I hear voices. There was a time when I’d have just gone right into a room without thinking. Now my agency training is teaching me to lurk and eavesdrop first. I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
“It wasn’t him, honestly. You can stop worrying.”
Wasn’t who? Stop worrying about what?
I edge closer recognising the voices as those of our hostess and Fran.
“But he’s started smoking again and usually he goes outside to smoke but he might be tempted to grab a quick ciggie in the doorway if it’s too cold or raining or something,” Fran says.
She must be talking about Spencer.
“The fire wasn’t started by a stray cigarette butt. The fire brigade said it was a spark from the fire. I was the last one to go up to bed last night and with everything on my mind about Ty I forgot to put the fireguard across. It was me who was at fault, not Spencer, so stop worrying. OK? You’ve got enough on your plate as it is.”
Oh? Exactly what kind of stuff has Fran got on her plate then?
“Come on, let’s go and get something to eat,” I hear Amelia say.
They’re heading this way and I’m going to be caught listening to their conversation. What do I do? There’s no time to turn and get out of here before they reach the door to the dining area. I’m going to have to brazen this out.
The door opens and I catch the flicker of surprise on Amelia’s face. “Amber! I thought everyone else was at breakfast.”
“I wasn’t hungry so I thought I’d come and try to find you. See how you’re feeling this morning after all the trauma of last night.”
Fran makes her way past me in search of food and I hover, waiting to talk to Amelia.
“She thinks it was Spencer’s fault?” I say in hushed tones as soon as Fran is outside.
Amelia nods. “I’ve reassured her it wasn’t.” She flashes me a look. “As I’m sure you heard. Any news yet on the replacement?”
“Yes. It’s Daniel Stone.”
She fixes a worried gaze on me. “Do you know him? Is he any good?”
“Yes, I do. I’ve worked with him a little before on a film premiere case. He’s excellent.”
“As good as Charlie?”
“I believe so yes. He’s very thorough and dedicated. Charlie and I will ensure there’s a detailed hand-over for your investigation at the airport and Dan will hit the ground running as soon as he reaches the resort later today.”
“I’ve been thinking about his potential cover,” she says. “The fire means parts of the chalet will have to be completely gutted, which presents a good opportunity for a bit of a revamp. I thought that this Mr Stone could pretend to be something connected with that. A builder, architect, interiors guru or something. Could you sort that out with him before he gets here and let me know what cover he’s going to be using, so I can let everyone else know? I’ve already told them Charlie was summoned back to work and that’s why he had to leave early. I said you were staying on because he didn’t want to ruin your holiday by dragging you back to the UK with him.”
I nod. “Right. OK. Yes. Of course.”
Siobhan walks in, spots me and envelopes me in a hug. “There you are! Charlie was just telling us he has to leave because of some job that’s come up. That sucks! Ennis and I are glad you’re staying on though. Don’t worry we’ll all keep you occupied so you won’t have time to miss Charlie!”
I force a smile. “Thanks, Siobhan.”
The journey to the airport is a quiet one. Charlie knows I’m not happy about him being reassigned to LA and I get the impression he’s none too thrilled about it either. Plus, I’m nervous about him leaving and my having to work with Daniel.
I’m also going to miss Charlie. A lot. It was tough enough us being apart while I was in agency training and he was still working cases. It’s even more difficult now that we’ll be apart and both working on cases. Cases which we aren’t allowed to discuss with each other once he gets on that plane out of here.
Charlie parks the car in the airport’s multi-storey and we walk, hand in hand, through to the check-in area. How is this even going to work? Charlie and Dan don’t get on. Will they play nice and do a proper hand-over on the case or will that be left to me? No, I doubt it. These guys are both too professional to do anything less than a detailed face to face hand-over.
Dan’s flight should have arrived by now. I thought he was going to contact me to arrange where to meet in the airport. At that moment my phone buzzes with a text.
It’s Dan saying he’s through security and ready and waiting for us in the coffee shop.
“He’s in the coffee shop,” I explain to Charlie who tuts and shakes his head.
I tense as we near the refreshments area. I’m so nervous my head is spinning. I need to concentrate and focus on the job in hand.
“Over there,” Charlie says, pointing across the crowded room to where Daniel Stone is sipping from a large mug. He’s dressed in jeans and a black jumper. And yes, he does still look like a guy from a designer aftershave commercial. His hair is a little longer than last time I met him. If he was wearing a shirt then I’d judge his slightly wavy chocolate brown hair would reach the top of his collar.
Charlie strides across the room ahead of me. As the two men meet Daniel gets to his feet and they shake hands brusquely.
Dan turns to me. “Amber! Great to see you again.” He steps forward, places both hands on my shoulders and kisses me on each cheek, continental style.
Across the table Charlie rolls his eyes and pulls his irritated face.
“Can I get you two guys anything to drink?” Dan asks as he releases me.
Charlie says no thanks so I follow his lead.
“So, you’ve been pulled off the case huh?” Dan says to Charlie. “Been a naughty boy?”
Looks like it’s game-playing time. Dan clearly wants to wind Charlie up. And here was I thinking the two boys were going to be professional about this whole changeover.
Guess not.
Charlie doesn’t rise to the bait by getting stroppy though. Calmly he replies, “It’s more a matter of being re-assigned.”
“Still, having another agent take over your case part way through is never a good sign in anybody’s book.” He flashes me a look and a quick wink. “So, Amber how are you liking your work with the agency?”
“Very much, thank you,” I reply far too formally, as though an elderly great aunt has just enquired after my work rather than a rogue and rather handsome-looking special agent.
“I think you’re going to like it even more now you’ll be working alongside me.”
I’m flattered by the way he says working alongside rather than working for. Charlie always applies the same philosophy so I’m glad it looks as though Dan will too which is a relief.
“So what’s the status then?” he asks, turning back towards Charlie.
Within ten minutes we’ve brought Dan up to date on the case, the suspects so far and the fire last night. I notice he doesn’t write anything we’ve said down. Dan doesn’t do notebooks then? How can he manage to keep all the investigation information in his head? He must have a much better memory than I have then.
“I think I’d better make a move,” Charlie says, causing my stomach to somersault. I hate that he’s leaving.
I pull on my jacket. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I say to Dan. “I’m just going to see Charlie off.”
He nods and lifts his mug to his lips.
The coffee shop is even busier now and I fight my way towards the exit, narrowly avoiding pushchairs, rucksacks and rampaging toddlers.
When I reach the space on the other side of the maelstrom I turn ar
ound and Charlie is not, as expected, right behind me. I stand on tip-toe to try and make out where he is in the coffee shop.
That’s when I see he’s still at the table I recently vacated. He’s leaning down in a slightly threatening and commanding way, speaking to Dan. There’s a serious expression on both of their faces. I stare at the two of them as Charlie leans in even closer to Dan and says something else to which I swear I see Dan’s face pale slightly. What on earth did Charlie just say to him? Next thing I know Dan nods, looking a bit miffed, and Charlie picks up his holdall and walks away, heading in my direction.
“What was that about?” I ask with a nod of the head in Dan’s direction when Charlie reaches me.
He slips an arm around my waist. “Just guy talk.”
OK. I have the feeling it was about much more than that but maybe it’s for the best if I don’t know what that little exchange was really about.
We reach the line for security far too quickly and I feel my time with Charlie sliding away from me. How long will I be in France helping to track down Amelia’s stalker? How long will Charlie be in LA doing whatever it is he’s needed for so urgently out there? What if we aren’t assigned to work together on our next cases? It could be ages before I see Charlie again. My stomach jolts at the prospect of being apart from him for who knows how long.
The queue for security seems to stretch away into the distance and I know Charlie should probably have joined the end of that line about twenty minutes ago if he’s going to make it through in time for his flight back to the UK to then connect with his transatlantic flight.
“I guess you should get going,” I say, my voice flat, my heart already aching for him.
“In a minute,” he replies taking my hand and moving me away from the line, across the main concourse to a section of vending machines which appear to be selling everything from food and drink to mini toothbrush and toothpaste kits. Just beyond the furthest of the five vending machines there’s a little nook behind a pillar. A sneaky hideaway from the airport bustle. As soon as we reach the side of the stone pillar Charlie drops his bag at his feet and backs himself up against the wall, pulling me towards him and into a fierce kiss. I respond with far more urgency and passion than I probably should in the middle of an airport. Even if we do have a bit of privacy. The kiss intensifies and I feel the ache in my stomach build along with it. I don’t want Charlie to go but he has no choice. This is what happens when you become involved with a man who is a special agent. A man who takes his job very seriously and puts it before everything else.
Including me.
Sadness sweeps through me and I slowly ease away from the kiss.
Charlie leans his head back against the wall and eyes me. “What’s wrong?”
What’s wrong?
WHAT’S WRONG?!!!
Seriously?
“You know what’s wrong,” I reply, aware there’s a teensy bit of sulkiness in my tone.
“Amber, I hate that we’re going to be apart for a while too but it goes with the territory. I don’t want us to part with you miffed off with me. You never know…” He stops short when he sees my expression.
He was about to say you never know what might happen. Meaning his plane could crash to earth in a fiery ball. He could get to LA and work this new case and get shot and killed.
Anything could happen.
In a second I lose the sulkiness and step closer, wrapping my arms tight around his waist.
“I’m going to miss you,” he smiles and kisses the tip of my nose.
“I’m going to miss you too,” I say, fighting back the tears.
The kissing starts up again and I fear we may be venturing into get-a-room territory. Only we don’t have time to go and get a room.
The airport announcer’s voice blares across the concourse. I can only pick up certain words of French I understand but I definitely hear London Heathrow mentioned. Charlie must have heard that too but our kiss doesn’t calm down any as a result.
“ERRR HMMMM.”
What was that?
“ERRR HMMMM.” Louder this time.
Reluctantly Charlie and I ease apart and I turn to find a stern looking woman at the vending machine we’ve been making out against. She has a young boy with her and I get the distinct impression that he should have been checking out the vending machine contents and deciding what he wants his mother to get for him, but instead he was far more interested in what Charlie and I were getting up to.
I grab Charlie’s hand and we escape from her glare towards security. The line looks even longer.
“You’ll never get through here in time,” I say. “Didn’t they just call your flight?”
“Don’t worry. I can flash my agency badge and get through in seconds. Right I’m off. Be careful – and I don’t just mean about the case.” He flashes a look towards the coffee shop where Dan is.
I get the unspoken message.
“Amber, I believe in you, remember? I know you can sort this investigation and track down Amelia’s stalker. OK? You believe you can do this right?”
I nod.
“Good.” He pulls away and heads for the man standing off to one side at the entrance to the security area. They speak for a moment, I see Charlie show his badge and then he’s waved through, earning himself angry glares from fellow passengers.
I’m rooted to the spot. A part of me wants to stay and watch until he disappears from sight. When he reaches the corner he’ll turn back and smile at me. Blow me a kiss perhaps. I wait, holding my breath. He reaches the corner.
And disappears round it without so much as a glance back in my direction.
I tell myself to stop being such a silly. It meant nothing that he didn’t stop. It’s just Charlie being Charlie. I remember he once said he wasn’t a big romantic gestures kind of guy. I guess little romantic gestures are out of the question as well. His mind is no doubt already on solving his new case.
I make my way back to the coffee shop via the Ladies’ where I splash cold water on my face and inwardly chant I will be fine. I will be fine. I WILL be FINE.
Right. Back to work. Dan and I have a stalker to catch.
The coffee shop is still as busy but this time there also seems to be some kind of commotion around the table where Dan is sitting. What’s going on? I spot several female members of the coffee shop staff talking to him.
I thought this place was self-service so how come he’s got personal service? Dan says something and the three women all laugh. Giggly, flirty type laughs. Ah, no emergency then. Nothing untoward happening. Just Daniel working his charm by the looks of things.
He spots me, waves and then beckons me back over, the waitresses scowl and then disappear.
“You ready for the off?” he enquires as he gets to his feet and pulls on a battered black leather jacket.
I nod and try not to meet his gaze. I still feel a little teary after my goodbye with Charlie.
Dan touches my arm then bends down so he’s about at my eye level.
I try to look away again, embarrassed as I feel another tear escape and trail its way down my cheek.
He reaches into the pocket of his coat and hands me a clean tissue. I take it gratefully. I should have thought to bring a huge box of tissues with me but my mind has been all over the place since the fire and the news Charlie was leaving.
I sniffle and wipe at my eyes.
“Right, car park B, level five, row ten, right?”
“How did you know?” I say as I tuck the tissue into the pocket of my jeans. “Oh, of course. Charlie told you where we parked.”
“Yeah, he also said it would probably be best if I drove.”
“Oh, right, yeah.”
“Why exactly? Because you’re a bit upset about Charlie Boy leaving?”
“Because I’m the world’s worst driver on home soil. Out here, they drive on the opposite side of the road, the signs are in French and the mountain roads are scarily narrow with very steep drops. That and my dri
ving is not a good combination.”
As we head outside he says, “I’ll do you a deal. I’ll get us out of the airport and the built up area but we swap when we’re a few miles from the ski resort and you drive from there.”
“But…”
“The way I see it is that if you’re struggling with something then the only way to get better at it is to practice – right?” He flashes me a quick glance. “Look, if you absolutely don’t want to then I won’t make you but I’m wondering if you’re selling yourself short by not trying. And maybe as well it’s a case of Charlie Boy being a little protective, taking over, stopping you doing stuff. You know, with you guys being all hot and heavy.”
I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. After all, what can I say? Deny it? Most people at the agency know Charlie and I are involved. And there may well be an element of truth in his words.
“I presume you guys enjoyed a good smooching session before he got on his flight?”
“I…” I feel my cheeks grow warm with embarrassment.
“Nothing like an airport goodbye to get the emotions pounding huh?” he says with a grin. When he sees my flushed cheeks he pats my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Been there, done that. And far worse besides.”
We locate the car. Dan dumps his holdall (what is it with agency guys? Do they all travel light?) in the back of it and we’re on our way.
We’re whizzing along and I’m still staring at the mountains and thinking of Charlie when Dan pulls the car over in a little section of road designated as a viewpoint. Outside the mountains dip and soar into the distance, nature effortlessly combining power and beauty.
“So, how about it? You can take the wheel from here and get some practice in. Man up a bit. You’re an agent, after all…”
I shoot him a look. I can see Dan is going to be trouble and demanding to work with. “Technically, I’m a support officer, not an agent…”
He shrugs. “Not yet, but one day you’ll be an agent, right?”
I reluctantly get behind the wheel spending ages adjusting the seat and the mirrors. Beside me Dan sits patiently and doesn’t say a word. Eventually I can’t put it off any longer. Gingerly I ease the car out into the road. The combination of mountain road, driving a strange car and driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road demands all my concentration. Dan says nothing, rests his head back and closes his eyes. He’s that confident I can do this that he doesn’t want to stay alert, eyes peeled and ready to grab the steering wheel if necessary?
Forever Mine: A Fun and Flirty Romantic Mystery (Amber Reed Mystery Book 3) Page 8
